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(Application led Sept, 24. 1896A 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 617,305. Patented 1an. 3, |899. E. M. FRASER.

ELEVATIJR.

, (Applieation tiled Sept. 24, 1896.) (N0 Model 2 sheets-sheen 2.

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w w JM 4- O/M lhvrTnn STATES PATENT ETHELBERT M. FRASER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN OR TO JOHN J. MAHONY AND CHARLES E. GREEN, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,305', dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed September 24, 1896. Serial. No. 606,854. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, ETHELBERT M. FRASER, a citizen of Canada, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in gearing for operating elevators employed for raising and lowering passengers and goods in buildings; and I hereby declare the following specification and the drawings therewith to be a complete description of my improvements,with the manner of constructing and applying the same.

My invention relates to elevators for buildings, and is a modication and extension of a method of operating set forth in my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 549,387, iiled May l5, 1895, for improvements in elevator-gearing, allowed April 4, 1896.

My present invention, like the one above referred to, includes moving the cage and its load upward and downward by the difference in speed of two` prime movers running constantly in different directions, the power cornmunicated by endless rope gearing; but in the present case I employ two prime movers for each elevator, one of which runs at a uniform speed, the other being controlled and varied to produce the difference of speed relatively, thereby dispensing with one electric motor for each elevator and substituting therefor any other prime mover, such as a steam-engine or a shaft driven by any kind of motive power.

My invention also consists in various elements and constructive features required to carry out and apply this method of operating, as will be more fully pointed out and explained in the descriptive portion of this specification.

The objects of my invention are to simplify the machinery and save in the cost of its construction and to provide a system especially adapted to buildings where a number of elevators are to be operated from one station or motive power; also, to combine the electric generating and motive apparatus for the elevators, as will be pointed out in connection with the drawings herewith, in which-m Figure l is an elevation showing two elevators operated according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the operating-gearing in a plane at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan of Fig. l, showing the position of the main sustaining-pulleys.

The Same letters of reference apply throughout.

Referring to Fig. l, A is a steam-engine, and B an electric generator driven thereby. C is a coupled continuation of the armatureshaft of the dynamo B or of the crank-shaft D of the steam-engine A. E E2 are electric motors connected by the usual wires, switches,'

and other accessories that are well understood and do not require illustration in the present case. The motor E is shown mounted on the generator B and the other motor E2 on a stand S, as would be additional motors if there were more than two elevators to be operated. F F2 are elevator-cages suspended on a strong rope or ropes G', that pass over the pulley II down to and connected with the counterbalance I, composed of sections et, that can be increased or diminished in number, as; the weight required is more or less, such weight being preferably equal to one-half that of the cages F F2 and an average service-load thereon, so the power required to raise and lower the cage will b e as nearly as possible equal.

Referring next to Fig. 2 and to the second elevator in Fig. l, so as to avoid plural references, G2 are endless ropes, preferably enough in number so the tractive duty divided among the strands will not cause overstrain or abrasion and to avoid overtension. J J2 are shackles, in which are mounted the pulleys L' L2, the latter having grooves to correspond to the pulleys L2 on the motors E E2 and the pulleys L4 on the shaft C, all adapted to receive the ropes G2. The shackle J is attachedto the bottom of the counterweightI and the shackle J 2 to the sliding tensionfframe M, as seen in Fig. 2. The shackles J J 2 and the crossbars N N2 have jaws that fit over and slide upon the Ways O on the posts P, set at one side of the wellway and available also for guiding the cage F2. From the frame M a strong rope G3 passes over the pulley H2 and is attached to the counterweight I, the same as the rope G. The cross-rail Q of the frame ICO screws R, so as to regulate the tension of the ropes G2. The cage F2 is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so as to not obscure the other parts.

Referring now to the manner of operating, if the two pulleys L3 and L" are revolving at relative rates in proportion to their diameters then the pulleys L L2 will stand still; but if the speed of the motor E2 is increased or diminished the pulleys L L2 will be moved upward or downward accordingly and in proportion as the speed of the motor and pulley L2 is faster or slower than that of the pulley L4. If, for example, the pulley L3 is increased in rate when running in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, then the pulley L and the counterweight I will be drawn downward and the cage F2 will ascend. On the contrary, if the rate of the pulley L3 is diminished then the pulley L2 will be drawn downward and the cage F2 will descend, the pulley L4 on the shaft C running all the time at a uniform speed, so that all movements of the cage depend on altering the speed of the motor E2 and the control becomes electrical. In this manner, it will be seen, there is attained a smooth and noiseless movement without tooth-wheels or tangent-gearing, the connection between the cage and the prime movers consisting wholly of ropes and pulleys. The system or method can be applied to any number of elevators in one building or in adjacent buildings, and but one electric motor is required for each elevator. It will also be seen that all the operative machinery except the motive power occupies only ainarrow space at one side of the wellway of Ithe elevator,dislposed within a space represented transversely by the top cross-rail V in Fig. 3.

It is obvious that the dynamo B can be set in any position irrespective of the motors E E2 or the shaft C, also that electric current can be supplied from some independent source.

I have shown a complete or independent form of arrangement including all the required elements assembled at one place and connected so as to render description more clear.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator, a cage, counterweight, suspending-ropes for the cage, and counterweight, and adjusting-frame M, the latter moving coincidently and opposite to the counterweight, and both sliding on ways at the side of the cage, in the manner substantially as described.

2. In an elevator, a vertically-moving cage,

a counterweight, a suspending-rope connecting the said cage and counterweight, an intermediate pulley sustaining the same, a sliding tension-frame moving vertically in ways, a rope connecting the said tension-frame with the counterweight, an intermediate pulley carrying the said rope, movable pulleys attached to the said counterweight and the said tension-frame respectively, a prime motorshaft and fixed pulley adapted to run at uniform speed, an electric-motor shaft and fixed pulley adapted to run at variable speed, and an endless driving-rope passing` around said movable pulleys and the fixed pulleys on the respective motor' sh af ts, whereby the variable speed imparted tothe electric-motor shaft and pulley imparts a differential motion to the said endless driving-rope in a portion of its travel, thereby causing a relative movement in opposite directions between the said counterweight and the said tension-frame, substantially as specified.

3. In an elevator, a vertically-movin g cage, a counterweight balanced against the same, a vertically-moving tension-frame, sustaining-pulleys II H2, pulleys L L2 attached to the said counterweight and tension-frame respectively, an endless driving-rope passing around the said pulleys L L2, prime motorpulley L4, and variable motor-pulley L2, the said motor-pulleys also engaging the said driving-rope, whereby a differential motion is imparted thereto, and opposite movements to the said movable pulleys L L2, substantially as specified.

4. In a system of elevators, a prime motorshaft and pulleys, adapted to run at uniform speed, a series of vertical movable cages and counterweights sustained on suitable pulleys, vertically-movable tension-frames connected to said movable counterweights by suspension-ropes passing over intermediate pulleys, movable pulleys attached to said tensionframes and counterweights respectively, separate motor-shafts and pulleys for each cage adapted to run at variable speeds, and endless driving-ropes passing around said movable pulleys and the respective pulleys on the prime motor-shaft and the variable motor-shafts, whereby differential rates of speed are imparted at will to the several drivingropes, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two wit- HGSSQS.

ETHELBERT M. FRASER.' Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENQUIsT, WILSON D. BENT, Jr.

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